Traveling to the “Old World” is an unforgettable experience that we must all experience at least once in our lives and for this we must know how to do it.
Let’s find out in this article the 20 tips for traveling to Europe for the first time, which will guarantee you a safe and exciting flight, stay and return.
1. Travel in low season
Traveling in low season ensures you a cheaper plane ticket and fewer tourists in the main countries of the continent, which means fewer queues to enter museums, parks and other tourist sites.
The best months to travel are from March to June or from September to November, days in which the weather is pleasant in most of the European territory.
Train, plane and excursion tickets are also usually more accessible in low season.
2. Organize your expenses
Organizing your expenses will also allow you to save money.
Plan your expenses in plane ticket, food, lodging in each country and transport through Europe (bus, train or metro).
Avoid buying souvenirs for all your friends or family because in addition to the weight, those euros will help you pay for a metro ticket or a meal.
3. Plan how many days you will be in each place
Make a list of the countries you want to visit. Then prioritize which ones have the most emblematic cities and sites and depending on your time and money, you will know where to go.
It is important that you consider how many days you will spend in the cities you visit. Ideally, there should be 3 because by trying to learn a lot in a few days, you will end up exhausted and overwhelmed.
4. Make a previous route
Mark a route on a map so that you have a better visual context about your trip and the distance between one place and another.
Print a map, mark the countries included in your itinerary and indicate the cities you want to visit.
This guide will help you order the cities according to your departure and arrival flight and will allow you to better organize your time.
5. Book your accommodation in advance
Book your hotel online to ensure your accommodation. It is quite annoying to arrive in a city at dawn and not have a place to rest.
Also book the tickets for the tourist sites you will visit so that you avoid long lines.
6. Check the weather
Check the weather for the places you plan to visit.
If you are going to visit London in August take a good raincoat, boots and umbrella, because it will be raining.
7. Try to carry some cash
There will be things in Europe that you can only pay in cash such as tips, quick purchases, food or taxis.
In most airports there are ATMs that, despite not having the lowest rate, are more practical and comfortable than wasting time looking for ATMs.
I recommend you change a few euros from your country of origin or apply for a credit card with no extra transaction fee, which may be cheaper than a debit card.
Do not keep a lot of money in foreign currency at the end of your trip, because converting it to local currency may not be profitable for you.
8. Notify your bank that you will travel
If you do not notify your bank that you will be traveling and purchase with debit or credit cards, you will run the risk that your accounts will be blocked and you will not be able to make transactions or have cash available.
Go to the nearest branch and inform an account executive that you will be out of the country, so they are aware and you don’t have problems.
9. Plan your tours
The next step after defining the cities to visit is to consult which attractions you would like to visit.
For example, the Louvre Museum in Paris, like most museums, offers free tickets one day a week, ideal for you who want to save euros.
With a student ID you can get preferential rates or lower prices on many tickets.
10. Visit Eastern Europe
Although France, England, Spain and Italy are 4 of the main tourist countries of the “Old Continent”, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Croatia, territories of Eastern Europe, also have historical, cultural and architectural wealth, at very flexible prices.
11. Do not stagnate taking photos in one place
Europe has so many cities and so many things to see in them, that the smartest thing to do is not to stay in one place to take pictures and selfies.
What I recommend is to dedicate more minutes to the emblematic places, which are the ones worth remembering.
12. Avoid eating in restaurants near the attractions
If your budget allows it and you want, treat yourself and eat in a restaurant after an exciting day of walking. Just avoid those that are close to the attractions because they tend to be more expensive.
Walk a bit and look for establishments separated from tourist places with simple tables and menus without photos of the food.
A low-cost alternative is to buy a baguette, a piece of cheese with a bottle of water or wine and have a picnic in front of the Tuileries Gardens or admiring London Bridge.
13. Take advantage of the aperitif or happy hour
Take advantage of the promotions offered by the bars in many cities such as appetizers accompanied by a sandwich, to have a snack during the tour.
14. Take walks on your own
Although city tours are ideal for first-time visitors to Europe, because you see a lot in a short amount of time, you will also be limited and forced to stick to their itineraries.
You can also take tours on your own with the help of a map or the Google Maps application.
Try to stay near the city center because even though it will be a bit more expensive, you will save money on transportation and you will be able to travel without traveling long distances.
15. Update your documents
Make sure that your passport is valid for at least 6 months from your travel date, otherwise you will have to request support at the embassy of your country.
Also check which countries require a visa or permission to enter. Mexicans do not need a visa for the European Union, but they can only stay for 90 days in the Shengen Area, an area of ​​26 countries that have invalidated border controls.
You must comply with the period of stay allowed because you could be penalized or risk being permanently denied entry to a country.
16. Learn a little of the language
Although there are applications with a language translator to facilitate communication, there is nothing else and it will be very useful if you learn to say in the local language: hello, please, thank you, where is the bathroom? I need help.
17. Act local
Even though you are, try to hide as much as you can that you are a tourist. This way you will be less vulnerable to scams and criminals.
Avoid wearing shirts with pictures of a particular place like “I Love NY.” Observe how the locals act and try to imitate them.
18. Talk to the locals
If you go to a bar or restaurant, talk to the bartender or the waiter. If you’re in line, try to chat with the person in front of you and if you’re on the train, with your seatmate. You will learn from him or her and perhaps it will be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
19. Respect schedules
If there is one thing that characterizes Europeans, it is that they are very respectful of their schedules, so if you are browsing in a store and closing time is approaching, try to buy what you need and leave before closing, so you will avoid any employee approaching and rush you out.
20. Look for alternative attractions
The Trevi Fountain, the Notre Dame Cathedral or the London Eye are some of the most emblematic places that nobody wants to miss on their visit to Europe. But it is also worth investing time in places that, although they are not so famous, have a very particular charm.
Check on the Internet which places keep traditions or cultural richness and build the best memories in a place that is not so famous, but not so crowded with tourists.
How to organize my first trip to Europe?
These are equally valuable little details.
1. Define the date
The seasons influence the prices of flights and the influx of tourists, so to visit Europe you should consider spring and autumn.
2. Look for cheap tickets
Quote plane tickets on all Internet sites, both from airlines and flight search engines, so that you have an idea of ​​how much the round trip will cost you.
There are online flight search engines that send alerts to your email when prices drop.
Look for cheap flights that do not necessarily have to be direct to the destination country. For example, from Mexico to London the price of the ticket will be around 22,000 pesos, but if you quote one to Brussels, Munich or Paris, you may save up to 6,000 pesos. From these neighboring countries you can easily move from one territory to another.
Look for low-cost flights or “budget line” to move from one country to another. They are usually cheaper.
Depending on your times you can also travel by bus that despite being cheaper, the transfer time is slower.
On the train you will travel faster with stations that are usually within the cities, so you will not have to invest 2 hours of your time to catch a flight.
What to take on a trip to Europe?
Let’s learn what we should take on our first trip to Europe.
Comfortable clothes and shoes
It is essential to pack comfortable clothes such as jeans, t-shirts, a jacket or warm clothes, an umbrella or a good raincoat.
It is very important to include a pair of tennis shoes or comfortable shoes, since walks in museums, castles, squares or parks deserve to be admired in comfort.
Carry a backpack
In a backpack you can carry water, your passport, camera, a hand umbrella and a snack to alleviate hunger.
Telephone memory
Make sure that your digital camera and Smartphone have enough memory cards, so you can download your devices and free up space.
Adapter
Be sure to bring an adapter to use your phone chargers, hair dryers, or any other electronic devices.
Sunglasses
Accessories such as hats, caps or sunglasses will allow you to enjoy your walks and protect yourself from UV rays.
Sunscreen
You will be exposed to the sun during the days of the walk. Protect your skin with a good sunscreen.
Ear plugs
Don’t forget a pair of earplugs to rest up during your tours or block out any uncomfortable sounds.
Travel insurance
Travel insurance abroad never hurts. The best thing is to be prepared in case your luggage does not arrive, you get sick or have a mishap during your expected trip.
Keep these tips for traveling to Europe in mind and I guarantee that you will have fewer inconveniences than the average tourist. Your trip will be more pleasant.
